Woods battles to victory

Tiger Woods needed four holes of a play-off – and had to overcome a twisted ankle – to retain the Dunlop Phoenix title in Japan today.

The world number one was in danger of a third successive runners-up finish when home player Kaname Yokoo came from three strokes behind with a closing 69 to catch him on eight under par.

When they went into sudden death Woods hurt his ankle on his tee shot, but despite limping the rest of the way he halved the first three holes and then made another to grab the title.

The fourth extra hole was the par-five 18th. The Masters and Open champion was on in two and two-putted, while Yokoo could not convert his 12-footer to stay alive.

It was a seventh victory of the year for Woods, who took the event by eight strokes last year on 18 under par.

Fellow American Jim Furyk was third and European Tour Rookie of the Year Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano came fifth.

David Duval, who returned to form when he led with an opening 64, slipped back to seventh, while Colin Montgomerie’s weekend rounds of 77 and 73 dropped him to 46th.